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ELIAS enclose, so, or o YDE, -OHIO. Letters Patent No. 7 3,650, dated January 21, 1868. I

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Be it known that I, ELIAS RHOADES, 812, of Qlyde, in the county of S endusky, and State of Ohio, have inventcdcertain new and useful Improvements in Horse Hay-Forks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a. full and complete description of the same, reference'being had to the accompanying drawings, makingpart of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side View of the fork.

Figure 2, a vertical transverse section.

Like letters of reference refer to-like parts in' the difl'erent views. A, fig. 1, is the shaft of the fork, which consists of ametallic tube, the lower end of which is enlarged at the point X, so as to form a chamber, B, fig. 2, below which the shaft is solid,"end gradually tapers to a point, C.

' It will be observed that the stem or shaft is constrncted in sections, which is for the greater conveniende'of manufacturing it, and for transportation. D is a rod projected through-the tube, to the,lower end of which is fixed a head, E. To this head are attached arms or prongs F, which are four in number. The lower ends of these prongs are made to protrude fronrthe sides of the" chamber 13, through slotted openings G, the purpose ofwhich will hereafter be shown.

To the upper end of the shaft A is fired e cross-piecc or heed, H, in which is arranged a bolt, I,'pivoted to a lever, J. This bolt or slide is projected fol-ward toward the rod D, by means of the spring K, for a. purpose hereafter'described. L is a. handlc, fixed to the rod D, and M a ring by which the fork is suspended while in operation, which is as follows: N i

The fork, on being hung over the load of hay, by any appropriate means, is then drawn down and thrust into the load, the pointed enlarged end dividing the hay soas to allow the shaft to follow without crowding. The 'fork, being inserted to a required depth, the prongs F are then sprung-out from the chamber, as shown in fig. 1, by pushing down on the upper end of the rod D, to which they are attached, and, when thus thrown out,- are held in this position by the belt or slide I, which is pushed by the spring K into the hole N, fig. 2, cut in the rod for that purpose. The fork is then drawn up, carrying with it a certain portion of the load, which, on being conveyed to the place of deposit, is dropped from the fork by drawing the prongs back into the chamber, as shown in fig. 2, which is done by withdrawing the slide I from the rod, by means of the lever J, to which a cord may be attached for that purpose. The slide, thus removed from the hole N, is forced into another, N',belotv., by the spring K,whereby the prongs are secured within the ch'amber, while the fork is again being drawn down and thrust into the hay, as before, and which is easily and conveniently done, by holding the implement by the cross-piece H, which serves as a handle for that purpose.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The cross-piece or head H, in combination with the bolt or slide I, lever J, spring K, rod D, and shaft A, all constructed, combined, and arranged to operate in the manner set forth.

- ELIAS RHOADES, SR.

Witnesses:

J. H. BURRIDGE, E. E. WAITE. 

